Biography
Pandora, born Marie Faye Medina, is of Native American Indian and Latina heritage. A dancer from Santa Ana, California, she specializes in "Poppin'," a robotic street dance style that emerged on the West Coast during the Funk music era of the 1970s. Her first exposure to street dancing occurred during her freshman year (1994-1995) at Saddleback High School in Santa Ana, where students often danced during lunch breaks in the school's central quad.
It wasn't until the late 1990s nightlife in Los Angeles that Pandora immersed herself in various street dance styles and fell in love with Poppin'. She connected with local Poppers and joined a group called "The Funk Technicians," where she was introduced to traditional Poppin' and attended her first major street dance event, "Freestyle Session," in 2000. There, she met many of California's renowned old-school street dancers. After dedicated practice, Pandora was invited to join the well-known Poppin' crew "Animated Beat Mechanics" (ABM). From that moment, dancing transformed from a pastime to her way of life, motivating her to train harder and build her reputation by competing against top dancers worldwide.
Pandora has toured across the US, Europe, Japan, and Canada. She has won first place in competitions such as "Radiotron," "How Tha West Was Won," and London's "BSupreme," a UK festival celebrating women in Hip-Hop. She received an "Outstanding Popping Skills" award at the Los Angeles "Hip-Hop Dance Awards," appeared on "Soul Train," earned a standing ovation on Fox 11's "So You Think You Can Dance," featured on KJLA's "The Hip-Hop Show," and danced in music videos including Egyptian Lover's "Keep It Hot."
Currently, Pandora performs alongside top dancers at events like Hollywood's Carnival "Choreographers Ball," participates in dance panels, judges competitions, teaches Poppin' workshops, and has co-founded "Venus Fly Trap," an all-female street dance crew specializing in Poppin', Lockin', Breakin', and Housin'. As she continues to develop her skills and professionalism, Pandora is focused on advancing her careers in both dance and design while maintaining a presence in battles, shows, and jams worldwide.
